Pennsylvania Ballet II (PBII) will take audiences on a magical journey in their upcoming performances of The Jungle Book at Cherry Hill West High School on September 17th. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s collection of stories from 1894, The Jungle Book uses dancers portraying animals to teach moral lessons while showcasing different customs and cultures around the world.
“By creating an original Jungle Book we were able to bring an age-old story to life to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages,” said PBII Ballet Master Eddy Tovar. “This performance serves as an opportunity for children to experience ballet first-hand through a story they know and love.”
Pennsylvania Ballet II brought together a unique group of talented Philadelphia artists to recreate this childhood classic; including Choreographer Colby Damon who collaborated with composer John B. Hedges from The Curtis Institute; costume designer Rebecca Kanach; set designer Sebastienne Mundheim, and up-and-coming dancers from Pennsylvania Ballet’s second company. Everything has been crafted to uniquely fit this production exclusive to PBII, including the sets, music, and costumes. Through these elements this ballet brings to life the unique story of a young boy named Mowgli who learns life lessons from the world and creatures around him.
“They are all amazing artists that have used their talents to create magic on stage,” said Pennsylvania Ballet Artistic Director Angel Corella. “The audience is able to experience this captivating story not only through dancing and text, but also through the sets and costumes which evolve with the characters and story.”
After performing three sold out shows at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, and receiving rave reviews from The Philadelphia Inquirer, the artists of PBII will be sharing this ballet experience with children in the Cherry Hill region.
Performance Information:
- Saturday, September 17 at 2:00pm and 7:00 pm, Cherry Hill West High School
Tickets are available online at http://www.paballet.org/jungle-book or by phone at 215.893.1999.
The Jungle Book is presented by Cigna. Performances in Cherry Hill are also supported by Penn Medicine Cherry Hill.
About Pennsylvania Ballet II (PBII)
Pennsylvania Ballet II is a company of pre-professional dancers who receive intense daily instruction from the Pennsylvania Ballet artistic staff, as well as rehearse with and perform in Pennsylvania Ballet’s larger productions.